300,000 passengers could be disrupted under Southern strike

Hundreds of thousands of rail passengers face a nightmare journey tomorrow when a fresh strike on Southern brings services to a standstill.

Drivers are due to begin a 48-hour walkout at midnight. Some Gatwick Express services will also be affected.

Members of two unions, Aslef and RMT, are in dispute with Southern parent company over plans to change the role of guards.

Commuters have faced months of disruption because of industrial action by guards but tomorrow's strike is the first to involve drivers.

Southern warned 300,000 passengers a day could be hit. A further drivers' strike is planned for Friday.

The company was today mounting a last minute court bid to halt the strike but said a decision would come too late to prevent disruption.